NASA's Perseverance rover passes Opportunity's off-world driving distance record

Record reached on the way to Idubi

The distance was recorded as Perseverance travelled toward a target called Idubi, crossing terrain beyond the western rim of Jezero Crater known as Lac de Charmes.

The area is described as containing what may be some of the oldest terrain ever examined in the solar system. Comparable rocks on Earth have largely vanished through erosion and the movement of the planet's crust through plate tectonics, a process Mars does not have, according to the report.

Faster than its predecessor

Opportunity needed nearly 15 years to cover its record distance. Perseverance covered its distance in about five and a half years, a pace the report credits largely to AutoNav.

AutoNav lets the rover navigate much of the Martian surface without waiting for detailed instructions from Earth. As it moves, it captures images of its surroundings, builds a three-dimensional map of potential obstacles and picks a safe route to destinations chosen by mission controllers. NASA engineers describe the process as thinking while driving.

Search for signs of ancient habitability

Scientists hope Idubi will reveal evidence of ancient hydrothermal systems, in which heated water once circulated through rock and may have created conditions suitable for life.

Open questions

• What exactly will the rover find at Idubi?
• Does the report confirm the findings of the hydrothermal systems?